
160 Root Cause Analysis: Improving Performance for Bottom-Line Results
roots. Physical Roots are observable. In many cases, when undisciplined problem-
solving methods are used, people will have a tendency to stop at this level and call
them “Root Causes.” We do not subscribe to this type of thinking. In any event, all
Physical Root causes must also endure validation to prove them as facts. Physical
Roots are generally identiable on the logic tree by the fact that they are usually the
rst perceptible consequences after a human decision error has been made. In terms
of logic tree orientation, Physical Roots generally are located shortly aft ...